Welcome to my music blog - The Soundtrack of My Life!

Many of you have asked me “What’s with all the music, Dr. Weiss?” Well, as I’ve told some of you:

I personally call every surgery patient on the evening of surgery just to make sure they are doing well and have no questions that need answering. Occasionally, I would be at the piano and play a song that we had listened to that day. I gradually realized that I wanted to go through all the music that I had played during my life and at least start making a list of the songs that I had recently played.

Well, there are now about 600 songs on the list and I realized that it in a way it represented the ‘soundtrack of my life’! And that’s how I got the idea to record these songs and share them with my patients, friends and family. After I record them they will reside here, for easy access.

Music is truth. It’s honest. It’s really the first social media, where in a way, people could share their souls directly. And isn’t that what the purpose of social media is and why it’s so popular - trying to share who you really are, as completely and directly as possible?

Finally, it has been (and will continue to be) a genuine pleasure sharing these different songs with you and I really appreciate all of your positive feedback!!

Musical Genres

A word cloud of popular music genres such as rock, rap, jazz, etc.

Music in Western Civilization in 24 Seconds!

November 29, 2018

This short bass part (which in this instance you may recognize as the basis of Boogie Woogie) lasts only 24 seconds but is immediately recognizable to all of us. It contains the five main chord relationships upon which very much of all music in western civilization is based upon, from Gregorian chants to Rap. Chordal relationships (based on notes of the scale) are notated with Roman numerals I to VII. A  song with one chordal relationship pattern sounds the same in any  key (e.g., A or C.) in which it is played. The chordal relationship pattern for this ‘Boogie Woogie’ pattern is I-IV-V.  There is a turnaround at the end introducing VI and II. This is basically a combination of the two most common contemporary patterns: I-IV-V (Twist and Shout and Amazing Grace) and I-VI-II-V-I (Blue Moon and Heart and Soul.) Here are some other songs almost completely based on only these five chords and their relationships: Just about all Blues and New Orleans Jazz Imagine We Are The World Ebony and Ivory Homeward Bound Home on the Range Don’t Fence Me In Thunder Road All That Heaven Will Allow - Springsteen Have I Told You Lately That I Love [...]
  • November 29, 2018
  • Music
In Memory of Stan Lee

Spider Man Theme – In Memory of Stan Lee

November 12, 2018

I learned to read in part by reading Fantastic Four, Spider Man and Nick Fury comics at Sy’s barber shop where I stopped by on the way home from elementary school (whether I needed a haircut or not) just to read the comics! Over the next 50 years, my mind has been filled with hundreds of characters and stories thanks to Stan Lee. In memory of Stan’s passing today, I’d like to re-share a blog we did a while back on one of Stan Lee and Marvel’s most popular characters – Spider-Man.  Once again, enjoy this small musical tribute to one of our most prolific creative geniuses. Thanks, Stan. “‘Nuff said.”

Original sheet music for Give My Regards to Broadway

Give My Regards to Broadway – A Tribute to George M. Cohan

November 5, 2018

I’ve always loved this song. “Give My regards to Broadway” was written by George M. Cohan, who has been called “the greatest single figure the American theatre ever produced”. “Give My Regards to Broadway” was from his first Broadway play, Little Johnny Jones in 1904, after which he wrote, composed, produced, and appeared in more than three dozen Broadway musicals. Cohan published more than 300 songs during his lifetime, including the standards “Over There” (America’s most popular World War I song), “Give My Regards to Broadway”, “I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy” and “You’re a Grand Old Flag”. This little tribute to Cohan is also an homage one of my personal favorite actors, James Cagney. Cagney played Cohan in the Academy Award-winning film Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), which includes James Cagney’s unforgettable musical tap dance rendition of “Give My Regards To Broadway”, for which he won an Oscar. On May 1, 1940, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt presented him with the Congressional Gold Medal for his contributions to World War I morale, in particular the songs “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and “Over There.” Cohan was the first person in any artistic field selected for this honor, which previously had gone only to military and political leaders, philanthropists, scientists, inventors, and explorers. In 1959, at […]

Picture of Frank Sinatra smiling

All The Way

September 7, 2018

And we here at Weiss Cosmetic love our family of patients “All The Way”! As promised, for those of you whose taste might be more appreciative of jazz standards and for you crooners out there, I’m thrilled to share with you another karaoke offering, “All The Way”. The song was written by famed songwriter Jimmy Van Heusen, and is dedicated to my dear friend Pat D – because she actually worked with the composer! Pat and Jimmy worked together in the 40s and 50s; she was his assistant, helping him as he composed hit after hit for Broadway, movies, TV and was even there for Jimmy’s first song!  She’s also had the pleasure of wedding dancing (and smooching) with Frank Sinatra and horseback riding with Jimmy – and that’s just a couple of her fascinating stories (such as the time she was crowned “Miss Dairy Queen” in Lindstrom, Minnesota for writing the song, “I Like My Eggs With A Kiss”). “All The Way” won the 1957 Academy Award for best original song from the movie “The Joker is Wild” – one of my favorite films. So here you are, Pat, after much delay: “All The Way.” Karaoke Participation Instructions You’ll […]

Rock band The Doors standing against a wall

Summer's Almost Gone

August 21, 2018

  Just like that, we’re more than halfway through August!  You can’t tell by the weather, but fall is just about here.  But before summer slips away, I wanted to try something new and exciting! Celebrate the coming end of summer with The Doors’ “Summer’s Almost Gone”.  I have a special affinity for the Doors – it was among the first rock music that I started playing and I actually went to a Doors concert in 1970 instead of my senior prom (I couldn’t get a date anyway!).  Despite the tragic passing of Morrison at 27 years old, their music lives on. (Fun fact: our Patient Coordinator Tamara even had a poster of Jim Morrison plastered prominently on her wall when she was a kid despite the fact that she was barely alive during the Doors’ heyday.) New Blog Feature (Weiss Internet Jam Band) I’ve sent out lots of music before, but this particular blog is going to be much more interactive (hopefully)!  I’m inviting all my family of patients and friends to engage in a little audience participation contest (Todd, Sean, that means you) – and everyone is going to be a winner! Help me finish the song – […]

Happy Memorial Day from Weiss Cosmetic!

America the Beautiful

June 5, 2018

I’d like to once again (in what has now become a yearly tradition) re-share this video rendition of “America the Beautiful” with my family of patients and friends.  Help me honor and remember those who died for our country, and pray that many less will need to die in the future.

Stevie Wonder against a red background

The Secret Life of Plants

May 11, 2018

Well, this Mother’s Day has been quite the confluence of events!  Of course, Mother’s Day is Sunday May 13th.  As you’ll hear in the video, I decided to play a famous piece of music for my mom called “Claire De Lune” by Claude Debussy; I had played the song some 40 years ago at my mother’s wedding. As I began playing it, I realized suddenly that the middle section of Debussy’s composition has a modulation to the same key as another song I was working on – “The Secret Life of Plants” by Stevie Wonder.  And guess when Stevie’s birthday is?  Yep – May 13th!   But wait – the connections don’t end there!  It turns out that Wonder and Debussy are musically related (in a matter of speaking).  Claude Debussy was among the most influential composers of the late 19th and 20th centuries, much as Stevie Wonder is one of the most influential composers of the late 20th and 21st centuries.  Debussy was also a child prodigy – he entered the Paris Conservatory at the age of 10 (Wonder debuted on the public stage at the tender age of around 11 or 12). Debussy was associated with the Impressionist […]

Harold and Rina Weiss picture e1528749031264

Claire de Lune

May 11, 2018

Wishing all the mothers out there the happiest of days on their special day!  Of course, as we all know, the day is merely symbolic – you should celebrate your mother EVERY day ?. Here’s a famous piece of music called “Claire de Lune” by Claude Debussy.  I played it for my mother 40 years ago at her wedding and I’m happy to share it with you all well!  You’ll learn a bit more about Debussy and his similarities to another of my favorite musicians, Stevie Wonder, a bit later today. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this “classic” Mother’s Day treat.

Happy St Patricks Day 2018 IMage

I Wish I Had Someone To Love Me – (St. Patrick’s Day)

March 16, 2018

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I wanted to share this quick session I had with Aileen F., an Irish friend of mine  who lives in Limerick, Ireland.  She was happy to share this authentic and traditional Irish song with all of us – I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did!  What a beautiful voice! Did you guys get a chance to catch last year’s St. Patrick’s Day post?  If you missed last year’s St. Patrick’s Day video, it’s never too late to watch and learn about pennywhistles and hear my version of “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”!

The Christmas Song Graphic EMAIL e1528749427699

The Christmas Song – (Chestnuts Roasting…)

December 25, 2017

Merry Christmas to all my friends, family and family of patients! I hope the holidays have brought you peace, health and happiness! Well, that’s it for this holiday season. I hope you’ve enjoyed my Christmas Music Countdown – I know I’ve enjoyed playing these songs and sharing them with you.

  • December 25, 2017
  • Music